A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found 57% of adults say the stimulus package is having no impact on the economy or making it worse. Even more —60% — doubt that the stimulus plan will help the economy in the years ahead, and only 18% say it has done anything to help improve their personal situation.

The stimulus package contains $288 billion for tax cuts and $499 billion in new spending, much of it meant to pay for unemployment and other social services. The $1 billion "cash for clunkers" program was not part of the bill, although its $2 billion expansion comes from stimulus funds.

The government has allocated more than $200 billion in aid. Since the plan began, however, the recession has left an additional 2.2 million Americans without jobs, according to Labor Department surveys.

Economists generally say the recession would have been worse without the stimulus, though they disagree widely on how much it has helped.

Has the Stimulus Helped?

"The economy was like a huge pothole we had to fill, and what we did was throw a little gravel in the bottom. You don't fill the hole, not even close. But you make it better," says University of Oregon economist Tim Duy. "Many people don't see the effects so they assume it's not working."

The poll Aug. 6-9 of 1,010 adults has a margin of error of +/–4% for the full sample. In a question asked of a subsample, 51% of Americans say the government should have spent less on the stimulus; 31% say the amount was "about right." Also, almost half in the full sample say they are "very worried" that stimulus money is being wasted.